what we do

We take as our inspiration the work and legacy of the great 19th Century Social Reformer, the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. Our mission is to create, inspire and scale trailblazing social reforms that tackle inequality and exclusion. We do this through our values: bold ideas, excellent people, exemplary execution, and rapid scaling.

Our partners, Patrick Shine and Chris Mould, have held leadership roles at some of the fastest growing charities in recent history, including The Challenge and The Trussell Trust, and we believe that scaling is essential in achieving the greatest possible social impact.

The sectors that we work in are defined by entrenched disadvantage that is caused by market failures, systemic flaws and a prevalent risk aversion that prevents innovation or widespread adoption. In order to tackle these market failures, our operational models bring together stakeholders from every sector, linking delivery rooted in local communities with national partnerships that ensure effective scaling.

We have launched a number of social ventures which are currently being piloted or scaled up, including FranchisingWorks, Social Business Partnership and Retirement Transition Initiative.

We also use our expertise on social franchising and replication to help other social ventures to grow. We provide consultancy support to organisations across a number of areas, including employment, healthcare, reducing reoffending, faith communities, and multiple and complex needs. We are also providing strategic networking support to 100 social ventures over 3 years as one of the main delivery partners of Big Venture Challenge.